The Fool
by Yoko Black
Summary: Sakura is meeting the person always on Sasuke's mind, and that person is Naruto. warning: shounan ai


**Title: The Fool**

**By: Yoko Black**

**Rating: T**

**Genre: General, Drama**

**Warning: shounan ai, alcoholic consumption**

**Pairings: current SukaSasu, current NaruHina, past NaruSasu**

**Summery: Sakura is meeting the person always on Sasuke's mind, and that person is Naruto. **

**Disclaimer: I own neither song nor character; through I do wish to own Kiba.**

**The Fool**

_You don't know me, but I know who you are. Mind if I sit down? Do I look familiar? If I don't well I should. I'm sure you've seen me around. I know you've probably heard my name; through we've not been introduced. _

_I'm the fool in love with a fool, who's still in love with you._

Sakura sat in a booth near the back of the bar, nursing a margarita. Every time the door to the bar opened she looked anxiously up, waiting for the person she was meeting with to walk through. She knew she was a bit shaky, but she was so nervous she hardly slept the night before and walked on eggshells through the day. She came to the bar the minute it opened, even if it was an hour before the scheduled meeting, hoping a bit of alcohol in her system would help, but the margarita in front of her was still her first.

"Oi! Sakura-chan!"

Looking up she saw a head of spiky blonde hair, ocean blue eyes, clawed whiskers, and a mischievous smile. Uzamaki Naruto wore his regular orange jump suit even through he was now ANBU, same as her, but she too wore casual clothes, a blue shirt that hugged her shoulders and a red skirt.

"Naruto-kun," she said standing up and gave him a deep bow. "Thanks for meeting me."

Naruto looked at her in shocked surprise. "Whoa, Sakura-chan, you don't have to be so formal with me," he said rubbing the back of his head. "We used to be teammates, after all."

Sakura knew what he said was true. They had been teammates, so they didn't need to be formal, but Sakura felt she had to be to the friend she had neglected years ago.

_If you got a minute, I'll buy you a drink. I've got something to say. It might sound crazy, but last night in his sleep, I heard him call out your name. This ain't the first time. He's done it before, and it's hard to face the truth._

_I'm the fool in love with a fool, who's still in love with you._

Sakura ordered a beer for Naruto from the bartender. When he was served Naruto took a healthy swallow then turned to Sakura.

"So how's work, Sakura-chan," he asked.

"It's all right," she said. "I have another mission coming up next week."

"Sasuke-teme home alone with the kid?" Naruto laughed. "I never could see Sasuke-teme as a family man! How is Hiroshi? Haven't seen him since his birthday?"

Sakura had winced when Naruto mentioned Sasuke, her once teammate and now husband, and was grateful Naruto mentioned her three year son.

"He's fine," she said. "He missed his Uncle Naruto."

"Well, if my godson's missing me, then that calls for a visit," said Naruto and drank from his beer mug. Sakura sighed as the carefree man drank to the memory. The minute Hiroshi was born Sasuke insisted Naruto be their son's godfather. Sakura questioned her husband's decision but reconsidered it. She, like Sasuke, trusted Naruto with her life. Naruto even returned the favor by making Sakura and Sasuke godparents to his son.

"So, what did you want to see me about," asked Naruto. "Can't be about the mission. I may be the strongest in the village, but I don't know squat about medical ninjitsu. You'll have to talk to Hinata-chan." Naruto smiled at the thought of his wife and their son, Sarutobi.

"No, Naruto, it's not about the mission. It's about Sasuke."

"Marriage troubles?" Sakura shook her head.

"Naruto, he said your name in his sleep." Naruto looked surprised then down at his mug. "And it's not the first time. He's said it before. I have to know! Did you two…"

"Sakura, nothing's happened between me and Sasuke." Naruto looked up and the looked he gave her told her what he was saying was true. "We did find something years ago, but thought it was because we were such good friends. When we did figure out what it was he was already married to you and I was engaged to Hinata-chan. He couldn't leave you. He does care for you."

Sakura looked down at her still filled margarita. _"He cares for me,"_ she thought. _"But he doesn't love me."_

_I know love is a fragile thing. And I'm trying hard to make it last, but it ain't easy holding onto me dreams, when he's holding onto the past. _

"But he loves you," she said. "And you guys always have those guys night out once a week."

Naruto laughed. "You've seen me. I have to physically drag him out with three or four clones. And the other guys are with us for a couple of hours over a game of poker. A regular guys night out."

"But sometimes he comes home late."

"Because he wants to beat me at poker! You know Sasuke-teme. Anything you can do I can do better."

Sakura nodded. That did sound like Sasuke with Naruto around.

_Just one more thing, before I go. I'm not here to put you down. You don't love him, and that's a fact. Girl, I've seen you around. But you hold his heart in the palm of your hand, and it's breaking right in two. _

_I'm the fool in love with a fool, who's still in love with you._

"I have to go," said Naruto. "I promised Sarutobi that I'd read him a story tonight." Standing up he took out a few bills.

"Naruto," said Sakura looking at the table. Naruto looked at her. "Do you love him?"

"No," said Naruto. Sakura looked up at him sharply, quick enough to see the real answer before he covered it with his usual mask. "Besides, he rejected me." Throwing the bills on the table he quickly left, not giving Sakura time to ask what he had meant.

Sakura sat there in a stilled silence. In the five years she had been married to Sasuke he had never mentioned liking another person but her but in the last year, every few weeks, he had started mumbling Naruto's name in his sleep. Naruto and Sasuke did admit they had felt something for each other years ago, but both buried it under obligation of marriage and family. The feelings were still there, they just refuse to express them

A horrible thought came to her. Would Sasuke leave her for Naruto? Would Naruto leave Hinata for Sasuke? The thought tore her heart, but she would come to that obstacle when it happened.

Taking a few bills from her purse she paid for her untouched drink. Walking home she was lucky to have met no one on the street, which helped her sort out her thoughts. Walking into her house she was enthusiastically greeted by her son.

"Mommy," cried Hiroshi hugging her legs. "You're home early."

"The meeting didn't go as long as I thought it did, hon," said Sakura, picking up her son.

"How was the meeting," asked Sasuke in his cool calm voice. Sakura took moment to study him. His attention was on her, but was he thinking of Naruto right now? "Sakura?"

"It was fine, Sasuke," she said. "I've gotten everything I needed." She gave him a loving smile, which he returned with a smirk.

Right then she decided when that obstacle comes; she would let Sasuke follow his heart.

_I'm the fool in love with a fool, who's still in love with you._

**End**


End file.
